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Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking The
Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we can't wait to get our hands
on!

This week's WoW is Exile by Shannon Messenger.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Sophie Foster thought she was safe. Settled into her home at Havenfield, surrounded by friends, and using her unique telepathic abilities to train Silveny--the first female alicorn ever seen in the Lost Cities--her life finally seems to be coming together.

But Sophie's kidnappers are still out there. And when Sophie discovers new messages and clues from the mysterious Black Swan group, she’s forced to take a terrifying risk—one that puts everyone in incredible danger.

As long buried secrets rise to the surface, it’s once again up to Sophie to uncover hidden memories—before someone close to her is lost forever.

In this second book in the Keeper of the Lost Cities series, Sophie must journey to the darkest corners of her luminous world in a sequel that will leave you breathless for more.

My Thoughts:

First thought: OMG LOOK AT THE PRETTY UNICORN ON THE COVER! *Clears throat* Now that that's out of my system.....I never expected to enjoy this series, because it was obviously aimed towards the middle grade audience. The only thought that kept me going was that Percy Jackson, which was clearly written for the middle grade as well, was freaking epic and loved by children and adults everywhere, despite their age differences. Although I couldn't connect with the Keeper of The Lost Cities (Geez that's a mouthful) in a teenage point of view, it definitely spoke to the inner kid in me. The kid who longs for adventure and excitement. It brought back happy memories and reminded me of the days when I was just a free spirit, roaming around without a care in the world. Definitely cannot wait to find out where Sophie's adventures bring her next.

Monday, May 27, 2013

In Darkness We Must Abide is the epic saga of one young woman caught in the dangerous world of the creatures of the night.

Already living in the shadows due to her albinism, Vanora is just a little girl when her older brother inadvertently unleashes a terrible evil from the family crypt that changes their lives forever.

As she grows up in a world where beautiful deadly beings hunt by night, one captures her eye and her heart. Yet, can she trust the mysterious Armando? For there is a powerful entity plotting to claim her when she reaches adulthood in order to fulfill an ancient prophecy, and her enemy has enveloped her in a web of deceit, casting doubt on all she believes to be true. Soon, she will have to fight not only to save those she loves, but also for her very soul.

Rhiannon Frater delivers a chilling adventure once again with this multi-part epic serial with a dynamic cast, old school vampires, bloody action, a smoldering forbidden love, and a terrifying villain set against the backdrop of a modern day vampire war.

This paperback includes all five episodes of the first season of the serial.

Rhiannon Frater is the award-winning author of over a dozen books, including the As the World Dies zombie trilogy (Tor) , as well as independent works such as The Last Bastion of the Living (declared the #1 Zombie Release of 2012 by Explorations Fantasy Blog and the #1 Zombie Novel of the Decade by B&N Book Blog),and other horror novels. Her next novel for Tor, Dead Spots, will be published in 2014. She was born and raised a Texan and presently lives in Austin, Texas with her husband and furry children (a.k.a pets). She loves scary movies, sci-fi and horror shows, playing video games, cooking, dying her hair weird colors, and shopping for Betsey Johnson purses and shoes.

With his presence still sizzling
on her skin and his hazel eyes still haunting her thoughts, Vanora pondered the
words that Armando had spoken in his silky Spanish accent.

You must go home,
he had said.

Hugging herself, she gazed into
the darkness surrounding her, wondering if Armando still lingered in the
shadows observing her. That he had sought her out both thrilled and terrified
her. When she had first seen him standing on the lighted path of her apartment
complex, the mere sight of his enigmatic smile had set her heart aflutter. But
now that he had slipped back into the darkness, her heart beat with fear.

Could she go back to Houston and
face all she had run from? Could she forget the evils she had beheld on her
eighteenth birthday? Could she just abandon the life she had meticulously
created for herself over the
last two years and return to the mansion that was haunted by death and pain?

You must go home.

Armando’s words echoed in her
mind.

Vanora lifted a hand to brush away
her white-blond hair and turned to face the dark waters of the swimming pool
that glimmered in the moonlight.

To go home meant she would at last
cast aside her trepidation and face the monsters of her nightmares. Was she
strong enough to do so? Was she strong enough to go home and save the ones she
loved?

With a surrendering sigh, she
admitted to herself that it was time to return to her childhood home. It was
difficult to concede, but her reluctance to return was partially because she
feared allowing Armando into her life once more. Though the creatures that
dwelled in the darkness were terrifying, it was Armando who surely frightened
her.

Cindy (Cinderella…shhh, don’t tell) was born a witch. It’s part of who she is. But there’s more to her than that. She loves deeply. And has a big heart. She’d do anything for those she cares about, including risk her own life to save theirs.

When her fairy godmother demands she leave Salem, Massachusetts and return to the land she was born to rule, she has two options. Tell her fairy godmother no, and seal a death sentence on complete strangers. Or, leave all she’s ever known behind, including the love of her life, for an unknown land she’s fated to save.

So, yeah, life sucks.

But Cindy is determined to change that.

About The Author:

RASHELLE WORKMAN lives on a mountain with her husband, three children, and three dogs. From her back porch she can see the city lights and imagine... She's the bestselling author of the Dead Roses series (Sleeping Roses is being translated into Turkish, and will be available in print wherever Turkish books are sold in 2014), the Immortal Essence series, and the Blood and Snow series.

Ruby never asked for the abilities that almost cost her her life. Now she must call upon them on a daily basis, leading dangerous missions to bring down a corrupt government and breaking into the minds of her enemies. Other kids in the Children’s League call Ruby “Leader”, but she knows what she really is: a monster.

When Ruby is entrusted with an explosive secret, she must embark on her most dangerous mission yet: leaving the Children’s League behind. Crucial information about the disease that killed most of America’s children—and turned Ruby and the others who lived into feared and hated outcasts—has survived every attempt to destroy it. But the truth is only saved in one place: a flashdrive in the hands of Liam Stewart, the boy Ruby once believed was her future—and who now wouldn’t recognize her.

As Ruby sets out across a desperate, lawless country to find Liam—and answers about the catastrophe that has ripped both her life and America apart—she is torn between old friends and the promise she made to serve the League. Ruby will do anything to protect the people she loves. But what if winning the war means losing herself?Endless Knight by Kresley ColeRelease Date: October 1, 2013Series: The Arcana Chronicles #2

In the second book of the Arcana Chronicles Evie has now fully come into her powers as the tarot Empress. And Jackson was there to see it all. In the aftermath of killing Arthur, the tarot Alchemist, Evie realizes that a war is brewing between the other teens that, following the apocalypse, have been given powers and its kill or be killed.

Things get even more complicated when Evie meets Death, the mysterious, sexy Endless Knight. Somehow the Empress and Death share a romantic history - one that Evie can't remember, but Death can't forget. She is drawn to the Endless Knight, but is in love with Jack. Determined to discover why she's been granted these powers, Evie struggles to accept her place in a prophecy that will either save the world, or completely destroy it.Darker Days by Jus AccardoRelease Date: August 2013Series: The Darker Agency #1Jessie Darker goes to high school during the day, but at night she helps with the family investigation business. Cheating husbands and stolen inheritances? They’re your girls—but their specialty is a bit darker. Zombie in your garage? Pesky Poltergeist living in your pool? They’ll have the problem solved in a magical minute. For a nominal fee, of course...

When gorgeous new client, Lukas Scott, saunters into the office requesting their help to find a stolen box, it sounds like a simple case—until the truth comes out. The box is full of Sin.

Seven deadly ones, in fact.

They’ve got five days to recapture the Sins before they're recalled by the box, taking seven hijacked human bodies with them. Easy peasy—except for one thing...

There’s a spell that will allow the Sins to remain free, causing chaos forever. When the key ingredient threatens the life of someone she knows, Jessie must make the ultimate choice between love and family—or lose everything.

Sunday, May 26, 2013

I reached the 400 Follower Mark a while ago, but I decided to wait a bit so that I could combine both giveaways! What do they call it? Hitting two birds with one stone. I did this for two reasons. One, because I'm broke and can't afford to mail out two different packages a few months apart from each other. (In fact, I'm -20 dollars from borrowing money, because unfortunately, I don't have enough self-control to resist a good bargain. xD) And Two, because I won't be here to host a giveaway on my Blogoversary anyways, because I'm taking a trip to China! :) Thank you guys so much for reading my blog and egging me on with your supportive comments to continue when I lost my motivation to keep reviewing. I never thought that I would actually see the day when my GFC widget reached 400 followers! It seems like just yesterday when I was celebrating with my first giveaway, stalking fellow bloggers and taking on an expression akin to hero-worship when they had more than 300 followers.

Achievements in the Past Year:

419 GFC Followers

157 Bloglovin Followers

15 RSS Followers

17 Networked Blogs Followers

904 Twitter Followers

253 Overall Posts

87 Book Reviews

Over 40,000 Page Views

And Over 1000 Comments

What's up for grabs:

One U.S. Winner will recieve:

Shadow Falls: The Beginning by C.C. Hunter (Includes first two novels in the Shadow Falls Series, Born at Midnight & Awake at Dawn)

Evermore by Alyson Noel

Arclight by Josin L. Mcquein

There will be an additional mystery book added if I reach 500 Followers by the end of this giveaway! :D

Rules:

You must be thirteen years of age or older to enter. Unless you have parental consent.

Winners have 48 hours to respond after being notified. If there is no reply, another winner will be chosen.

I am not responsible of any items that are lost or damaged in the mail.

I have the right to disqualify any entry that has not fulfilled the designated task.

Goodreads Synopsis:Sara Jane Rispoli is still searching for her missing family, but instead of fighting off a turncoat uncle and crooked cops, this time she finds herself on the run from creepy beings with red, pulsing eyes and pale white skin chasing her through the streets in ice cream trucks; they can only be described as Ice Cream Creatures. They're terrifying and hell bent on killing her, but they're also a link to her family, a clue to where they might be and who has them. While she battles these new pursuers, she's also discovering more about her own cold fury and more about the Chicago Outfit, how the past misdeeds--old murders and vendettas--might just be connected to her present and the disappearance of her family. But connecting the dots is tough and time-consuming and may finally be the undoing of her relationship with the handsome Max--who's now her boyfriend. But for his own safety, Sara Jane may have to end this relationship before it even really starts. Her pursuers who've shown her her mother's amputated finger and the head of the Chicago Outfit who's just whistled her in for a sit-down make a romance unthinkable. The only thing that matters is finding her family and keeping everyone she loves alive.My Review:I was shocked by how much I enjoyed reading Flicker & Burn. This is definitely one of those rare cases where the sequel surpasses it's predecessor. The first installment of the Cold Fury series was a good read, great even. I found myself enamored with the elaborate world T.M. constructed, as well as the supernatural twist he intertwined with the plot to give it that dramatic flair. This was one of the reasons I found the plot, the whole premise really, to be so intriguing. It isn't your average, everyday blood-sucking vampire or werewolf love story, but a contemporary action thriller with just a hint of something that's not completely human. I was seriously blown away by it all, more so after I had enough time to digest the book and admire the lengths the author took to make it come to life. And that's exactly what it felt like. As if people who were born with ghiasso furioso (totally just butchered the spelling of that), could actually exist in the world today. The author made it feel realistic by taking actual history and sculpting it to meet his needs, much like what Rick Riordan did with the Percy Jackson series. If you've read the Percy Jackson series, then you probably know what I'm talking about, but for those who haven't, an example would be making the Civil War a battle between clashing demigods, instead of a war between the North and South soldiers in the United States.In this installment, Sara Jane, SJ for short, has a bleaker outlook on life. After everything she's been faced with, encountering situation after situation that requires fighting or unleashing her secret power just for the sake of survival, she has been forced to grow up faster than any teen ever should. In Cold Fury, we discover that Sara has the ability to wield ghiasso furioso, a cold blue flame of fury that rises whenever she's in emotional turmoil or severe distress, a flame that once unleashed, shows her adversary their deepest, darkest fear. However, as the series progresses, her abilities end up evolving as well, growing in strength and size with continual use. The more she uses her power for mafia-related business and the more she kills, the more she finds her aversion to death becoming weaker and weaker. Yet, despite it all, she still continues to fight against the monster within her and keep her humanity from withering away. However, although I admired her strength, cunning, and intelligence, there were still a few times when I questioned her actions. She seemed almost indifferent to letting a certain someone destroy themself little by little in order to gain the information she needed to discover her family's location. I wish she would've at least tried to find another way that didn't involve hurting said person in the progress.In this book, were introduced to a couple of new characters. Since I really don't want to give anything away, I'm going to try my best not to mention who they are to Sara in particular. Heather was a suckerpunch that I truly never saw coming. My emotions were a complete wreck because of her. One minute, I loved her and wanted to be her best friend....and the next, it was all I could do to refrain from punching my pillow in aggravation. Back and forth, Back and forth. In the end, I've finally concluded that although Heather did have her bitchy moments, I still loved her as a supporting character nonetheless.If you've read my review for Cold Fury, you would already know that I absolutely despised the romance in the last novel and found it completely unnecessary. Not all books need a romance to appeal to the YA audience. I would read this series for the action and suspense alone! I didn't like the relationship between Max and Sara any more than I did in Cold Fury. Max was boring and completely detached from the plot. I really don't see why Sara is drawn to him and thinks he's boyfriend material. Why can we never have a book where the heroine is able to stand strong on her own?The action was fast paced the majority of the time, and I didn't have nearly as much trouble getting into the book as I did with the first one. The fighting scenes made me feel like I was actually in the book itself, experiencing what the characters felt as the scene unfolded. You could obviously see that the author spent a good chunk of time researching boxing and fighting techniques in order to make his story sound more believable. However, there were a couple of places where the story dragged on a bit, like the times when T.M. just seemed to be dumping loads and loads of information on us instead of subtly working it into the plot. I don't know about you, but I certainly don't enjoy reading books that take on the tone of a textbook, or my ninth grade research paper for that matter. Once again, I had issues with the movie references.There weren't as many this time around, but every time I did see one, I felt my eyes glaze over, because I had no freaking idea what they were talking about when they compared movie situations to the situation they were currently in.Overall, I enjoyed Flicker & Burn immensely, considering the fact that I was a bit put off when the synopsis promised creatures with red pulsing eyes who drove around in ice cream trucks. The plot and the characters were intriguing and realistic, albeit a bit corny at times. If you've already read, and enjoyed, Cold Fury, then you certainly won't be disappointed by its sequel.
Heroine- 4.5/5
Romance- 2/5 Unnecessary nuisance.
Action- 4.5/5
Fast paced and exhilarating.
Writing- 4/5
Overall- 4.5/5

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Bound to the water bound to land, a Siren’s soul will never be safe on either side of the ocean’s surface. Hidden beneath the rolling waves lies the secret to Theia’s past and as she unveils each haunting truth, she realizes the last seventeen years of her life have been a lie. Now, drawn into a mysterious new world and with nowhere to turn, Theia must place her trust in Luc, a beautiful boy who stops her heart with each dazzling smile, but even his unearthly charm can’t hide the truth—he has secrets— dark secrets binding him to his world—an underwater world where Theia will never belong—a world determined to destroy her soul.

Tiffany Daune doesn't get why people want to grow up or why anyone would ever stop eating candy. Her purse is filled with books, lip gloss and a few pieces of Lego bricks. She writes best with a dish of chocolate chips on hand and finds licorice makes a better straw than plastic.

She lives on an island and believes mermaids may be raiding her candy stash, thoughshe hasn't caught them, yet.

I've always
loved mermaids, even the singing ones. I really wanted to explore the darker
side of the mermaids I grew up with and at the same time introduce a crossover
of other water beings into our world. I love when fantasy blends with reality.

Is there
anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

Staying
focused. I am the most distracted person in the world. If you called me up and
said 'hey do you want to go to a balloon animal making workshop?' I'd so be
there.

Who is your
favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

Wow, to
pick one, would be crazy, but if I must, I'd have to say JK Rowling. She is the
queen of imagination. She draws every age of reader into her world and
transforms the reading experience as if the book was written solely for you.

What is
your favorite Quote?

Happiness
can be found, even in the darkest of times if one only remembers to turn on the
light. ~ Albus Dumbledore

What
do you do in your free time?

I'm
obsessed with going to the movies. If I had more time, I would be there every
week.

Do you have
anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Always
dream big, believe in those dreams, and when they come true, seek to inspire
others so they may spark the light within themselves.

For as long as Ebony can remember, she's been sheltered. Confined to her home in a secluded valley, home-schooled by her protective parents, and limited to a small circle of close friends. It's as if she's being hidden. But something is changing in Ebony. Something that can't be concealed. She's growing more beautiful by the day, she's freakishly strong, and then there's the fact that she's glowing. On one fateful night, Ebony meets Jordan and she's intensely drawn to him. It's as if something explodes inside of her--something that can be seen from the heavens. Ebony still doesn't know that she's a stolen angel, but now that the heavens have found her, they want her back.My Review:

Note: Since I did not finish this book through choice of my own, my review will only reflect the portion that I did read, and will exclude the parts that I did not.

Status: DNF, Gave up at 25%.

The summary isn't anything I haven't come across before, and if that was all I had to go by, I wouldn't have given this novel a second glance. However, the cover is absolutely stunning, and I love the fact that they strategically placed a feather over her eyes, as if she was hidden (Wink, Wink ;) from the outside world. A concept that is focused on in the story itself. If someone had described this cover to me before I ever saw it, I probably would've written it off as corny, but with it right in front of me, I can see that it actually ties the whole novel together. Give yourself a pat on the back Bloomsbury! Superb job with the cover. :D

Onto the actual story. *Cringes* As soon as I read the first sentence, I knew this couldn't end in anything but disaster. It's not that the writing is horrific per-say, it's just more accurate to say that it's a wee choppy and awkward when the words take form mentally, worse if you read it out loud. Part of the reason I was unable to get sucked into this novel might have been because the Galley version had so many glaringly obvious spelling mistakes. Hopefully, they'll fix all of those little quirks before actually releasing the novel.

Another aspect of this novel that I had trouble with was the two different narrators, Jordan and Ebony. I have to admit, although I do feel a bit stupid for saying it, that I didn't even realize the story was told from two different perspectives, until the fourth or fifth chapter. How's that for unobservant? In my defense, I was a bit distracted that day... Anyhoo, their tone of voice sounded so much alike that if they were both the same gender, I probably wouldn't have been able to tell them apart. If they had admirable characteristics and attributes, then alright, fine, I'll deal with it, but their personalities were so bland, flat, and annoyingly lifeless. To be honest, if one of them wound up getting driven over by a truck in the end, I wouldn't have been able to bring myself to care. Of course, since Ebony is some freakishly strong angel, I guess it wouldn't do much, but you get my drift.

The love triangle. Since I stopped at 25%, I hadn't reached the point where the second love interest made an entrance, but one Insta-Love moment was definitely more than enough for me. The moment Jordan and Ebony met was basically one of those wretched, "For a moment, the earth seemed to stop spinning and the room blurred until we were the only two left standing," kind of moments. Excuse me, while I repeatedly bang my head against a wall. *Insert hilariously funny gif here* Since I'm feeling lazy at the moment, you'll just have to use your imagination for that one. xD After reading some other reviews to find out if I was the only one who felt this way about Hidden, I discovered that the romance with the second love interest was, yet again, kick-started by another Insta-Love connection.

I understand that the beginning of a novel is usually a bit slow paced for the purpose of introducing all of the new characters, describing what their like, and giving some background information, but the amount of action in the first 25% was actually laughable. Nonexistent might be a better word to describe it. I actually found my attention drifting to a butterfly whilst one of the characters was dying.

Overall, Hidden was a huge disappointment, at least for the amount I read. Maybe it gets better as the story progresses, but sadly, I'm not motivated enough to finish it. There's a possibility that I might get back to it if I have nothing else to do, which is very unlikely, and hear nothing but raving reviews come in, but at the moment? Nope.

*An ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest and thoughtful review.

Heroine/Hero- 1.5/5 Boooring. *Yawn*Romance- 1/5Sick and tired of Insta-Love connections.Action- 1/5Writing- 2/5 Not horrible, but a bit choppy.Overall- 1.5/5 For first 25%.

Friday, May 17, 2013

Kinslayer by Jay KristoffRelease Date: September 17, 2013
Series: The Lotus War #2

*U.S. Version on the left. U.K. Version on the right.

A SHATTERED EMPIREThe mad Shōgun Yoritomo has been assassinated by the Stormdancer Yukiko, and the threat of civil war looms over the Shima Imperium. The Lotus Guild conspires to renew the nation’s broken dynasty and crush the growing rebellion simultaneously – by endorsing a new Shōgun who desires nothing more than to see Yukiko dead.

A DARK LEGACYYukiko and the mighty thunder tiger Buruu have been cast in the role of heroes by the Kagé rebellion. But Yukiko herself is blinded by rage over her father’s death, and her ability to hear the thoughts of beasts is swelling beyond her power to control. Along with Buruu, Yukiko’s anchor is Kin, the rebel Guildsman who helped her escape from Yoritomo’s clutches. But Kin has his own secrets, and is haunted by visions of a future he’d rather die than see realized.

A GATHERING STORMKagé assassins lurk within the Shōgun’s palace, plotting to end the new dynasty before it begins. A waif from Kigen’s gutters begins a friendship that could undo the entire empire. A new enemy gathers its strength, readying to push the fracturing Shima imperium into a war it cannot hope to survive. And across raging oceans, amongst islands of black glass, Yukiko and Buruu will face foes no katana or talon can defeat.

The ghosts of a blood-stained past.

Once We Were by Kat Zhang

Release Date: September 17, 2013

Series: The Hybrid Chronicles #2

Eva was never supposed to have survived this long. As the recessive soul, she should have faded away years ago. Instead, she lingers in the body she shares with her sister soul, Addie. When the government discovered the truth, they tried to “cure” the girls, but Eva and Addie escaped before the doctors could strip Eva’s soul away.

Now fugitives, Eva and Addie find shelter with a group of hybrids who run an underground resistance. Surrounded by others like them, the girls learn how to temporarily disappear to give each soul some much-needed privacy. Eva is thrilled at the chance to be alone with Ryan, the boy she’s falling for, but troubled by the growing chasm between her and Addie. Despite clashes over their shared body, both girls are eager to join the rebellion.

Yet as they are drawn deeper into the escalating violence, they start to wonder: How far are they willing to go to fight for hybrid freedom? Faced with uncertainty and incredible danger, their answers may tear them apart forever.

Untold by Sarah Rees Brennan

Release Date: August 29, 2013

Series: The Lynburn Legacy #2

Free from bonds, but not each other

It’s time to choose sides… On the surface, Sorry-in-the-Vale is a sleepy English town. But Kami Glass knows the truth. Sorry-in-the-Vale is full of magic. In the old days, the Lynburn family ruled with fear, terrifying the people into submission in order to kill for blood and power. Now the Lynburns are back, and Rob Lynburn is gathering sorcerers so that the town can return to the old ways.

But Rob and his followers aren’t the only sorcerers in town. A decision must be made: pay the blood sacrifice, or fight. For Kami, this means more than just choosing between good and evil. With her link to Jared Lynburn severed, she’s now free to love anyone she chooses. But who should that be?

Title Reveal for the third installment in

Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone Series.

Ignite by Erica Crouch

Release Date: June 11, 2013

Genre: YA Paranormal Fantasy

Penemuel (Pen) fell from grace over a millennium ago, yet there are still times she questions her decision to follow her twin brother, Azael, to Hell. Now that the archangel Michael has returned, threatening Lucifer’s vie for the throne, she begins questioning everything she has always believed.

As Hell prepares for war - spreading a demonic virus and pilfering innocent souls to build an army - the lines separating the worlds blur. Fates erase and the future is left unwritten. Azael is determined that he and his sister will continue to serve as demons together, but for the first time in her life, Pen is not ruled by destiny. She has the freedom of choice.

With choice comes sacrifice, and Pen must decide which side she’s willing to risk everything fighting for: the light, or the dark

About The Author:

Erica Crouch is a twenty-year-old living on the outskirts of Baltimore, Maryland. She is pursuing a degree in English and Creative Writing with a specialization in Fiction at Southern New Hampshire University. Currently, she works for a small press in editorial services. She spends what spare time she has reading an overwhelming stack of books, watching an obscene amount of Netflix and procrastinating.

Ignite is her debut novel and she is currently writing it’s sequel along with other future projects.

BE
CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure what you share doesn't give to much
away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!

Tremble by Jus Accardo

"There were too many people and I had nowhere to run. My heard pounded, and I swallowed back the thick lump of worry caught in my throat. I didn't need this.

Not now. Not tonight.

-Tremble by Jus Accardo, Kindle Ebook

"Getting my ass handed to me by an invisible girl was embarrassing and certainly not the best impression to give the new guy. In the corner, Ben watched, wide-eyed, clearly having no intention of leaving his hiding place. Obviously he wasn't the help-a-damsel-in-distress type. Then again, I wasn't the damsel type."

Sara Jane Rispoli is a normal sixteen-year-old coping with school and a budding romance--until her parents and brother are kidnapped and she discovers her family is deeply embedded in the Chicago Outfit (aka the mob).

Now on the run from a masked assassin, rogue cops and her turncoat uncle, Sara Jane is chased and attacked at every turn, fighting back with cold fury as she searches for her family. It's a quest that takes her through concealed doors and forgotten speakeasies--a city hiding in plain sight. Though armed with a .45 and 96K in cash, an old tattered notebook might be her best defense--hidden in its pages the secret to "ultimate power." It's why she's being pursued, why her family was taken, and could be the key to saving all of their lives.

Action packed, with fresh, cinematic writing, Cold Fury is a riveting and imaginative adventure readers will devour.My Review:I didn't see that coming.....at all! At first,I was a bit skeptical as to if I would enjoy this novel, because as all of my regular readers know, contemporary books aren't my cup of tea. Although I admit, I probably shouldn't be too quick to judge considering the fact that I can count all the contemporary books I've read on one hand alone. With that being said, if you know any really good, fast paced contemporary reads, feel free to recommend them to me! I'm definitely open to new suggestions, because I'm trying to get over my silly prejudices and take a step outside my comfort zone. Anyways, I digress. Cold Fury was a package of pure epicness confined within the boundaries of ink on a page. Although I did have a hard time getting sucked into the novel and reaching my equilibrium, it was nothing but fast paced action and nail-biting suspense once I did.Sixteen-year old Sara Jane Rispoli was an admirable protagonist who wasn't afraid to kick ass when necessary or stand up for others who had the misfortune of being bullied just for being different. Her Italian heritage and background intrigued me, and I enjoyed spending my time learning about her culture and reading the Italian phrases thrown in now and then. Of course, since I'm not fluent in Italian, I can't tell you if the phrases were used correctly or not, but I did understand the gist of it, which was all that mattered to me. xD I was also pretty shocked to learn after reading the book that this completely believable, albeit slightly boyish, protagonist was written by a male author. It's a hit and miss in these situations, but T.M. successfully accomplished what he was going for. An independent, courageous, female lead who is as tough as nails, yet still has a sensitive girlish side that has her insecure moments when it comes to talking to guys, something all of us girls can relate to.I really could've done without the romance. The majority of YA books are enhanced once the romance is intertwined with the plot, but there are a few exceptions that don't need relationships to stand independently on their own. Since that's coming from an action junkie's perspective, I guess that statement wouldn't hold true for those who favor romance over action. The relationship between Sara and Max was just...weird. It wasn't love at first sight......but love at second sight, which doesn't make it much better in my eyes. It seemed as if they jumped right into a relationship with each other like they already had one to begin with. Sorry, but just because you exchanged a few encouraging words at a party a couple years ago doesn't make you soul mates. The other problem I had was the love interest himself. Sure...he was nice, but that's all I really got from him. I never felt any sparks between them, just a constant annoyance that there had to be a romance added in the first place.The pacing was erratic. In the beginning few chapters, I was interested in learning how Sara's family worked, judging her character based on her everyday, mundane decisions, listening to the cute little conversations between her and her younger brother, Lou, who I wholly adored. But then....the flashbacks from present to past began to grate on my nerves, and I soon found myself wishing that the author would just stick to one period of time, instead of hopping back and forth between the two. It became confusing, and I had trouble discerning what was happening, what had already happened, and what was to come. However, once I got used to T.M.'s slightly eccentric writing style, I slowly started becoming more and more immersed in the danger filled world T.M. created. Once I reached the half point mark, I was completely hooked! Another point I wanted to make, there were tons of movie references in this novel, movies that I had never heard of before and therefore couldn't relate to. If your a fan of classic or older movies filmed in the 1900s, you'll probably connect more with this book than I did, but to me, it was boring, and I just ended up skipping them altogether.Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. It took a while to get into, but once I did, it was nothing but smooth sailing from there! The romance didn't feel realistic enough and progressed way too quickly for my tastes, but it wasn't gag or bang-my-head-on-a-table worthy. Even if your not a huge contemporary fan, like me xD, I would still recommend this novel to you, because it does have a sort of paranormal twist to it. Nothing to the extent of vampires or werewolves, something a little more subtle, but no less extraordinary.

Heroine- 4.5/5Action- 3.5/5 Pace increased once I hit the half point mark.Romance- 2/5Totally unnecessary.Writing- 3/5Some of the explanations were difficult to understand. Present to past changes annoyed me.Overall- 4/5

The explosive conclusion to Veronica Roth’s #1 New York Times bestselling Divergent trilogy reveals the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent.

Hunter is a ruthless killer. And the Department of Defense has him firmly in their grasp, which usually doesn’t chafe too badly because he gets to kill bad guys. Most of the time he enjoys his job. That is, until he’s saddled with something he’s never had to do before: protect a human from his mortal enemy.

Serena Cross didn’t believe her best friend when she claimed to have seen the son of a powerful senator turn into something... unnatural. Who would? But then she witnesses her friend’s murder at the hands of what can only be an alien, thrusting her into a world that will kill to protect their secret.

Hunter stirs Serena’s temper and her lust despite their differences. Soon he’s doing the unthinkable—breaking the rules he’s lived by, going against the government to keep Serena safe. But are the aliens and the government the biggest threats to Serena’s life…or is it Hunter?About The Author:

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell, Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen.

She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.